Black theatre has been gaining more and more recognition just in the last ten years, though there is still a long way to go. Afro-American theatre was introduced to the American stage in 1769, yet it was not until 7 years later that blacks were portrayed truly on stage in The Fall of British Tyranny by John Leacock. William Wells Brown is claimed to be the first person to write a black play in America, though it was never staged. In 1853, the National Theatre reserved a section for black audiences. Around the 1840's, a special form of entertainment called Minstrelsy, created by African Americans, came to the American stage. It was a for of entertainment that focused on black music, humor, and dance featuring stereotypes such as big lips, laziness, shiftlessness, flashy dress, etc. This art form didn't receive much recognition until 1865. At the turn of the century, black musicals became popular, with producer Sam Jack producing his musical burlesque Creole Show solely with black women. The first all-black musical hit Broadway in 1902 with the the satire In Dahomey. In the 1920's the Harlem Renaissance brought with it a change in society and an incredible increase in black art. All-black musicals, however, started to fade out. By this time racial awareness in theatre had become very popular and producers would focus on issues such as segregation and the divide between whites and blacks. As the United States was hit with the Great Depression, many theatres in Harlem could no longer stay open, yet artists continued to produce great works. One of the most influential black writers of our time is Langston Hughes, whose writing was so incredible that he earned a living simply by writing and contributed to countless successful black plays. In the mid-30's, another unemployment wave hit black artists and President Roosevelt tried easing the blow by founding the Federal Theatre which employed many black artists. As American television increased in popularity, American theatre became less and less popular in the 50's to 60's which led black artists out of Harlem and into more commercialized areas. By the 70's, black musicals became more successful as they were in the 50's. Blacks are still struggling to secure a prominent position in American theatre to this day. There is still a long road ahead for black artists.